All dogs, purebred or mixed, are at risk to some inherited health problems. In the Tervuren the following are the health issues most often addressed:  Also see additional information on this website provided by our Health Education Committee.

Epilepsy

Idiopathic Epilepsy occurs in substantially all purebreds and mixed breeds. Idiopathic Epilepsy is defined as "repeated seizures of unknown cause".  Known causes of epilepsy can include heat, poison, head trauma, infections, parasites, diabetes, and birth defects.

The idiopathic condition is found with regularity, but not great frequency, in the Belgian Tervuren. The percentage may be as low as 2% or as high as 30%. We guess the actual numbers to be somewhere in-between.  It usually does not surface until between 2 and 5 years of age.  Typically, epileptic seizures occur once every several months, and will last about 5 minutes, although some more frequent and severe cases have been reported.  This is probably considered the Tervuren's most troublesome health problem.

The condition, or something that causes an individual to be susceptible, appears to be inherited in some Tervuren.  The mode of inheritance of epilepsy isn't understood, which makes it difficult to eradicate.  The ABTC is aggressively sponsoring veterinary research that, hopefully, will provide a better understanding of the nature and frequency of this threat.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia (HD) is found in the Tervuren. The incidence of HD found is low compared to many other breeds of this size and it isn't considered a major problem for the Terv.  The Greyhound is the only breed reported to have no known cases of hip dysplasia.  Still, buyers should insist on seeing proof that both parents are certified normal hips by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Most breeders X-ray their dogs and have the X-rays evaluated by the OFA.  The breeders should then be conscientious about not breeding affected animals.  X-rays should be taken after two years of age. The results are considered good for life.

Elbow Dysplasia

The incidence of elbow dysplasia appears to be higher than hip dysplasia although many numbers of dogs have not been evaluated.   Buyers should request proof of certified normal elbows by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).

Progressive Retinal Atrophy